A spinal implant is provided including an upper surface, a lower surface, a front surface and a back surface, two side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, the two side surfaces extending between the front surface and the back surface and an opening positioned closer to the back surface than the front surface. The opening is provided to contain graft material that spans between a cortical rim of the upper vertebral body and the cortical rim of the lower vertebral body. The method includes packing the opening with graft material, wherein the graft material spans between the decorticated cortical rim of the upper vertebral body and the decorticated cortical rim of the lower vertebral body.